Foiling

ABSTRACT

Invention is a recreation system that mimics flight without danger from stalling foil  19 ; invention&#39;s inability to hit ground is because it is secured to zip line  10  by pendulum cable  12  to carriage  11 . Invention&#39;s participant stands on foil  19  and us their body movements to control foil  19  axes of pitch, roll and yaw, which gives rider 360° of movement with horizontal swivel  16 , and foil  19  being able to rotate at where mast  17  attaches to foil  19  at shaft collar  24;  forward motion for foil  19  provided by gravity while suspended below zip line  10.  To enhance sensation of flight invention&#39;s participant can use foil  19  to capture, retain energy with elastic energy device  14  by using foil  19  to produce downforce that participant can control retention and release with foil  19.  Participant can also attain lift with foil  19  by controlling its angle of attack.

BACKGROUND CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Please refer to Provisional application No. 61/689,429 with the filling date of Jun. 6, 2012.

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to the recreational activities of skiing and snowboarding in that this invention will provide an alternative to those sports once Global Warming has made the pursuit of those sports impossible due to shorter and shorter snow producing winter seasons.

2. Description of Prior Art

In the coming years as the effects of Global Warming continue to increase the recreational activities of skiing and snowboarding will be severely strained because there will be fewer and fewer places where the participants of these activities will be able ply their sport because of loss of snowfall.

For the most part the owners of ski resorts know that Global Warming is going to make their business model obsolete. The challenge for ski resort owners will be to offer a draw to their resorts that gives customers a skiing and snowboarding like experience but without snow, and to this end ski resort operators knowing their businesses are on borrowed time have started to offer the following two activities at their resorts:

First, in the summer many ski resorts have started letting mountain bikers use their ski lifts to go to the top of the mountain so the participants of that sport can ride down the ski trails; sadly for most ski resorts that have done this it has proven to be a loss leader; the reasons being is that there are not as many mountain bikers that go into the extreme form of mountain biking known as downhill, and one reason for this is that it is more dangerous than conventional mountain biking. downhill mountain biking is also a lot more dangerous than either skiing or snowboarding. The danger of downhill mountain biking can be shown in the need for the protective gear of Pat. No. 7,987,526. The aforementioned is why downhill mountain bike riding will never be as popular as skiing and snowboarding, so charging mountain bikers to use ski lifts will never be a viable revenue source to keep ski resorts profitable as Global Warming takes the revenue from skiing and snowboarding away from these businesses. A possible alternative to downhill mountain biking that has a biking component but is safer and can be adapted for ski resorts is Pat. No. 8,156,873, but this solution would take a lot of infrastructure and is probably not a good replacement for skiing, snowboarding and downhill mountain biking.

Second, ski resort operators have started putting-up zip lines to keep people coming to their business. Zip lines are fun and exciting, but they are not an active thrill like skiing and snowboarding Unlike skiing and snowboarding zip lines are a captive thrill that do not allow the participant the ability to use their bodies to determine their route down a mountainside. The following patents are examples of using zip lines to attract customers to ski resorts: 8,424,460, 8,037,978, 8,025,131, 7,966,941 and 6,666,773. A zip line is a similar to a roller coaster ride in that the person riding on a zip line is just on a ride and can do little to nothing of interaction with the zip line to enhance the experience. While it takes athleticism to ski a snowboard down a mountain, and skiing and snowboarding can provide a participant with a good workout, neither of these components are a factor in riding a zip line.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages of foiling described in my patent, several objects of the present invention are:

-   -   (a) To provide a recreational activity for ski resorts that give         participants a skiing/snowboarding like experience.     -   (b) To provide an active thrill that is more exciting for         participants than skiing and snowboarding.     -   (c) To provide a recreational activity for mountain resorts that         is safer than skiing or snowboarding.     -   (d) To recreational activity that provides the thrill of flight,         but with none of the dangers associated with stalling.     -   (e) To provide a recreational activity that is easier on the         joints of its participants than skiing and snowboarding.     -   (f) To provide a recreational activity for mountain resorts that         is not limit to the winter season because it does not need snow.     -   (g) A recreation activity that can be built on any mountain, and         thus is not limited to any specific type environment.     -   (h) A recreational activity that can replace skiing and         snowboarding that can be built off existing skiing and         snowboarding infrastructure of ski lifts.     -   (i) With snowboarding and skiing the participant has the axis of         roll and yaw, but the new recreational activity created by this         invention would have roll and yaw but also pitch to play with.     -   (j) A recreational activity that can be reproduced as though it         uses but with a winch system that pulls it along a flat zip         line.

Further objects and advantages are to provide a recreational activity for ski resorts that can be described as an active thrill. Still further, objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments and appended claims, and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the recreational activity created by said invention wherein a participant uses gravity to simulate flying down a hillside by guiding their path using an airfoil;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the components of said invention for capturing elastic energy when those components are static;

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the components of said invention for capturing elastic energy when those components are in tension and this capturing elastic energy;

FIG. 3A is a side view of said invention showing how foil 19 creates lift as it travels through the air;

FIG. 3B is a side view of said invention showing how foil 19 creates downforce as it travels through the air;

FIG. 4A is a plan view of how the participant in the sport created by said invention would use the placement of their body to induce a turn in the axis of yaw to their right;

FIG. 4B is a plan view of how the participant in the sport created by said invention would use the placement of their body to keep yaw static neither moving to their right or left;

FIG. 4C is a plan view of how the participant in the sport created by said invention would use the placement of their body to induce a turn in the axis of yaw to their left.

FIG. 5 is a perspective and cutaway view of said invention showing how its main structural component of center spar 21 is secured to foil 19 by bushings 23, and how foil 19 is allowed to rotate around center spar 21 to allow participant of activity created by said invention to control the axis of pitch; FIG. 5 also shows how center of lift adjustment points 22 are placed in foil 19 to allow for the adjustment of said invention's center of gravity to be adjusted to meet the different stances of individual participants in the recreational activity created by said invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of said invention with movement arrows to indicate how said invention reacts to the inputs from the participant of the recreational activity said invention creates, which include the axes of pitch, roll and yaw plus up and down movement.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN DRAWINGS

-   10 zip line cable -   11 carriage -   12 pendulum cable -   13 upper attachment point -   14 elastic energy device* -   15 lower attachment point -   16 horizontal swivel -   17 mast -   18 safety harness -   19 foil -   20 foiler -   21 center spar -   22 center of lift adjustment points -   23 bushing -   24 shaft collar -   25 bolts

*Elastic energy device 14 is basically a shock absorber that works under tension unlike most shock absorbers that act under compression. The reason elastic energy device 14 is not referred to as a shock absorber is because in its capacity in regard to this invention it acts as a means to capture and hold elastic energy to be converted into kinetic energy and not as a means to absorb shocks.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present invention, a recreational system that uses gravity, or external power source, to propel a participant along a predetermined course dictated by placement of a zip line where within the participant uses a combination of body movement and weight shift to control the three axes of pitch, roll and yaw to maneuver and guide themselves along zip line course. Invention can be adapted to use the infrastructure of skiing resorts to replace or supplement the recreational activities of skiing and snowboarding once Global Warming has made it impossible to do these activities once snowfall is too low or nonexistent at ski resorts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION—FIGS.—1 TO 6

Here follows a description of the preferred embodiments of the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings. Referring now to FIG. 1 this is a perspective view of the recreation system of invention as it would be seen as a participant was riding it down an incline.

Invention's method of recreation allows the participant to heighten their experience by allowing the participant to control the axes of pitch, roll and yaw using a combination of body movements coupled with shifting their body weight.

A participant in the recreational activity created by this invention is referred to in this detailed description of FIGS. 1 to 6 of this invention as foiler 20; it is necessary to refer to the user as a component of the invention because the participant as an integrated component of a detailed description of said invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3A & 3B, the foiler 20 straddles the center of gravity of foil 19 and by raising and lowering each of their legs in relation to each other the foiler 20 is able to control the axis of pitch of foil 19. FIG. 5 shows how the center of gravity can be shifted to accommodate the different stances and styles of different foilers 20 by providing many center of lift adjustment points 22. Center spar 21 is secured to foil 19 and allowed to rotate around the axis of pitch by bushings 23 that are secured to foil 19 by bolts 25.

Referring to FIG. 6, carriage 11 rolls along zip line 10 and carriage 11 provides a place to secure pendulum cable 12 to it. Carriage 11 can move around perpendicular to zip line 10 and this gives the foiler 20 of FIG. 1 the ability to influence the roll of the invention with their body movement.

Referring to FIG. 4A, 4B & 4C, foiler 20 uses their body movement and shifting weight in conjunction with mast 17 to control the yaw axis of invention. Also, the relationship of how the body of foiler 20 is positioned causes mast 14 to act as a rudder.

Referring to FIG. 1, 2A, 2B, 3A & 3B, the aerodynamic shape of foil 19 as seen in FIG. 3A & 3B is of a shape that can produce both lift and downforce depending on foil 19's angle of attack in relation to the direction of the airstream as it flows above and below foil 19. When foil 19 as seen in FIG. 3B is creating downforce it pulls down on elastic energy device 14 of FIG. 2A & 2B which causes elastic energy device 14 to elongate; the tension held in elastic energy device 14 can be captured and held as long as foil 19 is creating downforce; the foiler 20 can release the tension and use it to propel foil 19 by changing the angle of attack of foil 19 to creates lift.

The elastic energy device 14 is a shock absorber that is active under tension rather than compression like most shock absorbers; the reason for not using the generic name of shock absorber for elastic energy device 14 is because it is not being used to absorb shocks but as a means to capture energy when foiler 20 is using said invention to create downforce with foil 19.

Operations—FIGS. 1 to 6:

A participant in this invention's recreational activity is referred to in this description of the operation of this invention as foiler 20; it is necessary to refer to the user as a component of the invention because the participant as an integrated part of the operations of said invention.

To prepare to start the recreational activity that invention makes possible, foiler 20 straddles foil 19 so that one foot is in front of and the other behind the center of gravity of foil 19, which is located at where center spar 21 is secured to foil 19. Also, foiler 20 must be standing so that their center of mass is roughly directly above where the connection point of the mast 17 and center spar 21 is secured to one another by shaft collar 24. Once said invention is moving through the air at sufficient velocity to manufacture lift or downforce foiler 20 raises their leg in front of center gravity while lowering their leg behind center of gravity to achieve lift; foiler 20 reverses the position of their legs on foil 19 to create downforce. How said invention creates lift and downforce is visualized in FIG. 3A & 3B.

To capture elastic energy with elastic energy device 14, first foiler 20 lowers their leg in front of center of gravity at center spar 21 while raising their leg behind center of gravity and this creates downforce with the magnitude of force determined by angle of attack of foil 19 and velocity of airflow over foil 19. To release the captured energy held by elastic energy device 14 foiler 20 reverses the aforementioned positioning of legs, which in addition to springing the foil 19 in the direction dictated by the foiler's 20 body movements also creates lift, and depending on velocity of said invention through the air should create moments of zero gravity or even negative gravity. How said invention captures and releases elastic energy is visualized in FIG. 2A & 2B.

Control of roll for said invention is done by the foiler shifting their weight from side to side. For instance, if foiler 20 wants to roll said invention to their left they lean their body to their left and vice versa if they want to roll said invention to their right. Carriage 11 rolls along zip line 10. While carriage's 11 forward movement is controlled by the orientation of zip line 10, carriage 11 is free to move around zip line 10, and this allows invention to have 360 degrees of movement around zip line 10, which allows foiler 20 to have complete control of the axis of roll.

The yaw axis of said invention is controlled by a combination of foiler 20 shifting their weight and foiler's 20 position on said invention in relation to mast 17. Mast 17 acts like a rudder would on an airplane when foiler 20 moves their shoulders to disturb the flow of wind over the mast 17. How said invention controls yaw is visualized in FIG. 4A, 4B & 4C. Foiler 20 has full access to control 360 degrees of yaw due to horizontal swivel's 16 critical placement between mast 17 and lower attachment point 15.

In the above descriptions on how invention controls roll and yaw, it is explained as though these axes were separate from one another, but in reality roll and yaw are linked, and how they play off one anther will be determined by the factors of a foiler's 20 body size, weight, how foiler's 20 weight is distributed on their body, the size of foil 19, foiler's 20 athletic abilities and the velocity of the airflow over foil 19. As seen in FIG. 6 invention gives foiler 20 the axes of pitch, roll and yaw to control.

As a safety feature of said invention foiler 20 is secured to said invention at mast 17 by safety harness 18. It will be critical that during operation of invention foiler 20 never embarks on the recreational activity created by invention without being secured to invention by safety harness 18. It is also recommended that foiler 20 wears a helmet when participating in recreational activity created by said invention.

Conclusions, Ramifications and Scope of Invention:

Thus the reader will see that the recreational activity that the invention provides will provide the participant controlled flight without the catastrophic consequences if the participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible happens to stall the recreational device of said invention.

The recreational activity of said invention will probably be mostly powered by gravity.

A participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible has the ability to control the axis of pitch with their legs.

Said invention gives a participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible the ability to control invention's axis of roll by shifting their weight from one side of invention to the other.

Said invention gives a participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible the ability to control invention's axis of yaw by shifting their weight from one side of invention to other side and by using their body with said invention as a rudder.

Said invention gives a participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible the ability to capture, retain and release elastic energy to propel the participant of recreational activity invention makes possible.

Said invention gives a participant of the recreational activity said invention makes possible the ability to couple the axes of pitch, roll and yaw to maneuver said invention how the participant feels fit with their body movements.

Said invention provides ski resorts an alternate to skiing and snowboarding once Global Warming has made operations of those sports not viable due to diminishing snowfalls.

Said invention provides a more dynamic athletic activity than skiing or snowboarding because with those activities the participant are limited to control only the axes of roll and yaw, while a participant in the recreational activity said inventions provides would have access to the control of the axes of roll and yaw plus pitch.

Unlike skiing and snowboarding which are limited to the winter season due to need for snow, the recreational activity said invention makes possible does not need snow, so said invention's recreational activity can be pursued year round.

The recreational activity afforded by said invention is not limited to temperate climates, so said recreational activity afforded by said invention can be practiced in the tropics.

Said invention can be built-off the existing infrastructure utilized for skiing and snowboarding at current mountain resorts.

Said invention is not limited to being utilized on a mountain and can operate from any high point to a low point, say from a tower to the ground.

Said invention is not limited to being powered by gravity, but for said invention to work on a flat plane or upward plane, said invention would need an external power source to pull it along.

Said invention does not contact the ground like skiing and snowboarding, and thus the participant in the recreational activity afforded by said invention does not have the stress on their joints that they would if they were skiing or snowboarding.

All parts for this invention can be built of any material that is optimized for strength and lightweight that is accordance with each of said invention's part's structural needs.

The airfoil component of said invention is of such a shape that it can produce both lift and downforce depending on its angle of inclination to the airflow flowing around airfoil component of said invention.

The size of the airfoil component of said invention varies with the size of the participant of the recreational activity afforded by said invention, the bigger the participant the larger the airfoil component of said invention.

The size of the airfoil component of said invention may vary with weather conditions, so that a participant of the recreational activity afforded by said invention may have multiple sized airfoils to accommodate varying wind velocities.

The overall shape and profile of airfoil component of said invention may vary depending on whether the participant of the recreational activity afforded by said invention wants to emphasis the creation of lift or downforce.

The participant of recreational activity said inventions makes possible will be moving their bodies in many different ways, which will give the participant of said invention's recreational activity a good workout.

Said invention provides a participant in the recreational activity afforded by said invention a large surface area within which the participant can decorate with any color or graphics to allow them to express their personal style.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of said invention, but rather as an exemplification of one preferred embodiment thereof. Many other variations are possible. For example, said invention does not need to be limited to mountain sides, but can be used from any high point to a lower point. Also said invention can be used on flat ground and pulled by mechanical means to achieve the simulation of controlled flight.

Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment(s) illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 

I claim:
 1. A method of recreation that a participant can experience controlled flight, comprising the steps of: (a) suspending an airfoil with participant secured to said airfoil below a zip line, and (b) giving said participant the ability to use their body movements to control the airfoil's axes of pitch, roll and yaw by providing pivot ability for the airfoil's axes, and (c) using gravity, or other means, to provide enough airflow over the airfoil to allow the airfoil's aerodynamics to control the airfoil's maneuvers, Whereby said participant will be able to experience flying without fear of catastrophic consequences when participant induces a stall.
 2. The method of recreation of claim 1 wherein participant will be saved from catastrophic consequences if stall is induced by being tethered below zip line at a shorter distance than the distance to the ground will ensures that participant will not hit the ground.
 3. The method of recreation of claim 1 wherein participant will be able to control airfoil's axis of roll by shifting their weight from side to side so induce carriage that rolls along zip line to pivot around said zip line.
 4. The method of recreation of claim 1 wherein participant will be able to control airfoil's axis of yaw by a combination of shifting their weight and how they are positioned in relation the structural arm that secures them to the airfoil, so that the structural arm with participant's body placements causing arm and body to act as a rudder.
 5. The method of recreation of claim 1 wherein participant will be able to control airfoil's axis of pitch by raising and lowering their legs in relation to each so that the airfoil can pivot around the main structural component of the airfoil, which allows the airfoil to produce either lift or downforce depending on the airfoil's angle of attack.
 6. The method of recreation of claim 1 wherein participant will be provided a means to capture, retain elastic energy and then convert said elastic energy to kinetic energy to propel the airfoil and participant forward to that is induced by the participant using their legs to adjust the airfoil's angle of attach so the airfoil produces downforce.
 7. A recreational device, comprising: (a) an airfoil that is held in such a way as to allow the recreational device's participant to use their body movements to rotate the airfoil around the airfoil's axes of roll, yaw and pitch, (b) a zip line that the recreational device rolls suspended under and rolls along to attain enough airflow to allow the recreational device's participant ability to control the axes of roll, yaw and pitch to maneuver the airfoil as the airfoils moves along the zip line, (c) a means to secure airfoil to zip line while allowing said recreational device to roll along zip line, whereby said recreational device will be propelled by gravity down zip line.
 8. The participant of recreational device of claim 7 will be prevented from hitting the ground because the means of suspending the airfoil below zip line will be shorter than the distance to the ground.
 9. The participant of recreational device of claim 7 will have control the axis of roll of the recreational device because the carriage that rolls along zip line with be able to rotate around the zip line.
 10. The participant of recreational device of claim 7 will have control the axis of yaw of the recreational device because the airfoil they control will be able to rotate on account of the swivel that is located above their heads where the tether from the zip line is connected to the structural arm that secures them to the recreational device.
 11. The participant of recreational device of claim 7 will have control the axis of pitch of the recreational device on account of the airfoil being able to rotate around a center spar at center of gravity of the recreational device.
 12. The participant of recreational device of claim 7 will be provided a means to capture, retain and release elastic energy by using the airfoil to produce downforce.
 13. A movement controlled recreation instrument that mimics flight comprising: (a) an airfoil that a participant is secured to, that is manufactured in such a way that it can rotate on the axes of roll, yaw and pitch, (b) the participant is positioned on the movement controlled recreational instrument in such a way as to be able to affect the movement on the axes of roll, yaw and pitch, (c) the movement controlled recreational device that rolls along a zip line to give it forward movement, and is secured to zip line by a tether that is shorter in length than the distance from zip line to ground, whereby the participant of the movement controlled recreation instrument will be able to experience controlled flight without the danger of stalling.
 14. The movement controlled recreational instrument of claim 13 has a tether length from the zip line to the airfoil that is of a lesser distance that the zip line to the ground as such not to allow the participant of the movement controlled recreation instrument to impact with the ground.
 15. The movement controlled recreational instrument of claim 13 can rotate around the axis of roll because the carriage that rolls along zip line can rotate around zip line as it travels down the zip line.
 16. The movement controlled recreational instrument of claim 13 can rotate around the axis of yaw by way of a swivel that is located where the tether from the zip line attaches to the mast that the participant of the movement controlled recreational instrument is secured to.
 17. The movement controlled recreational instrument of claim 13 can rotate around the axis of pitch as the airfoil is secured the center spar by bushings that allow the airfoil to rotate around center spar.
 18. The movement controlled recreational instrument of claim 13 has a means to capture, retain and release elastic energy that allows said elastic energy to converted to kinetic energy to move the airfoil forward in a direction dictated by the participant's movements by utilizing the airfoil to produce downforce. 